Morning Blog 01-27-11

I hope that when and if you have the time, MB will be the place for you to catch up with friends before you leave for work or start your new day. A place to relax and take a break from serious topics and discussions during your day.

You are free to talk about anything here. Introduce your favourite news stories, videos, photos, funny stories or recipes. Think of it as your space, whether you wake up with the birds or chose to have a lay in, MB is open 24/7, from 5 am EST-2 am PST.

Long time resident of Tokyo ---
"Where is this woman I once knew so well?
Memories fading or hurtling by like a
howling wind at a speed I can't fathom or define.
A star hangs like a teardrop from her eye,
quivering but never falling.
I search the empty corridors of my soul
in hopes of catching just another glimpse
of who she once presumed herself to be.
Where is this woman who trod with such certainty,
where is she now?
I mourn her passing as another dawn breaks
in my restless heart."

17 December 2010 Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old graduate, sets fire to himself after officials prevent him from selling vegetables, prompting nationwide rioting over unemployment and political restrictions.

14 January 2011 Ben Ali concedes power, fleeing to Saudi Arabia.

15 January Fouad Mebazaa is sworn in as Tunisia’s new president; he orders creation of unity government.

Hello bito, in the BBC link below there is a lot of information and further links about when and how this all started.

I finally reached my friend there yesterday. She had gone to stay with a friend about a week ago because the demonstrations had come within a kilometer of her house, and was on the way to her daily market. The police had come by to advise people to stay inside. They have a 6 pm curfew still in place. I will be speaking to her on Skype tonight. I was of course very relieved to hear from her.

Kalima, I’m glad you finally heard from your friend, must have been a relief.
I have been reading all your links and links in those articles most of the day. Sounds like it is still a bit murky on what exactly will be the outcome of this. The stories on the gangs and who they exactly are is interesting and scary.

Thanks bito, yes I’m feeling better since I heard from her. She totalled her car about a month ago, and it’s still being repaired, so she was a bit stuck for transportation should she have to leave everything to move somewhere where it was safer. Things move very slowly over there it seems, Ii took months for her to get an internet connection.

Whatever is to happen now over there, you can bet it won’t be peaceful or an easy road with the fighting and bickering to come in the power struggle to follow. Already armed gangs loyal to the ousted President are roaming the streets, remember Iraq?
It looks as if it’s about to turn even nastier.

Now it looks as if the unrest has moved to Jordan too, where there are many protests about food prices and jobs.

Hope that you have a great weekend. It feels cold enough for snow here. I don’t mind, but the kitties outside have no boots on.

Take care and stay safe.
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A few stories and opinions from around the globe.

So the President escaped to Saudi Arabia because France didn’t want him there. Now the PM takes over, what changes and will there be fair elections soon?

The last part of this sentence caught my eye.

“But while the protests in Tunisia were led by an educated young population eager to expand their freedoms, in its neighbours much of the opposition is demanding the replacement of pro-western regimes with Islamic rule.”
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Tunisia riots: President Ben Ali flees as chaos hits country

“President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, the pro-American leader of Tunisia, fell to a wave of student protest on Friday, fleeing into exile from a country that had descended into blood-soaked chaos.”

• Prime minister takes power as president is forced out
• State of emergency declared, army surrounds Tunis airport
• President has reportedly left Tunisia for Paris
• Foreign Office advises against travel to the country
• Read a summary of key events

This is a racist headache that France or any other country could do without. As much as I dislike Sarkozy, this would be just so much worse.
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Marine Le Pen posing a growing threat to Nicolas Sarkozy

“France’s National Front is set to widen its support base if Marine Le Pen is chosen to succeed her father as the far-Right party’s new leader this weekend, posing a growing threat to President Nicolas Sarkozy.”

There might have been much more than insanity driving this guy. I’m getting a little tired of hearing how sick this guy was. He was well enough to buy a gun, plan to use it, and consequently killed 6 innocent people, wounding several seriously including a U.S. Congresswoman. My question is, if he was so sick where were his family and friends in this, don’t tell me they didn’t notice that he exhibited strange behaviour over the years, why didn’t they try to help him, surely you can have family members committed for evaluation?
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“Jared Lee Loughner, charged with killing six people and trying to assassinate a U.S. congresswoman in Arizona, checked into a motel, bought bullets and had photographs developed on the night before the shooting, police said on Friday.”

I reported this as a breaking news story yesterday morning, I hope that this will finally be the end of this corrupt politician. Wonder how many people he will be able to bribe and threaten from a jail cell?

He brought it on himself by boasting about his “women” like a hormonal high schooler.
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Berlusconi could face trial as alleged sex offender

“The Italian prime minister has been formally placed under investigation on suspicion of sex with underage prostitute”

I was only ever truly scared on two occasions: once, when all the wolves were feeding, I ate the wrong piece of meat – there is a strict hierarchy of who eats what part of an animal – and one of the wolves leapt on me in seconds because of my mistake. He took my entire face in his mouth and started to squeeze hard. I could feel the bones in my jaw begin to bend, and in that split-second I realised how vulnerable I was and how restrained they were most of the time.

I know. After I had finished reading this, I tried to imagine what I might have done in the same position, felt chills, and knew I would have either fainted or screamed loud enough to have my face crushed. Brave experiment, but I would leave it to guys like this, although I find the idea truly fascinating.

Presidential statement on Tunisia. As Khirad mentioned last night, the US is taking a very ‘hands-off’ approach to the situation. One can only imagine what would the stance be if a neo-con was in the WH.

As I have said before, each nation gives life to the principle of democracy in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people, and those countries that respect the universal rights of their people are stronger and more successful than those that do not. I have no doubt that Tunisia’s future will be brighter if it is guided by the voices of the Tunisian people.

I seemed to have missed a day today. One of those winter days when the sleep never really seems to leave your eyes, and you wonder what possessed you to get out of bed in the first place. The loud meows of hunger pangs suddenly remind you in no uncertain terms that you are there to serve. I can’t remember a single day that I’ve been allowed to stay under the warm covers for longer than 7 am. With a loud sigh, I resign myself to the fact that I am their servant, and vow to teach them how to open cans one of these days, it works so well in my dreams.

Hope that you have a good day. Take care, and stay safe.
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A few stories and opinions from around the globe.

A sad day for Arizona. A sad day for America. A sad day for ALL of us.
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Arizona shooting funeral: Youngest victim laid to rest

“Ground Zero flag flies over coffin of Christina Green as hundreds line Tucson’s streets in mourning”

It’s been coming for a very long time, so a 50 year old dictatorship, and there are many that could be classified in this way, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, could see their own walls come tumbling down sooner than they think. I think it’s encouraging that the younger people have had enough while the older ones have become resigned to the fact that nothing major would happen in their own lifetimes. I see this as an omen of future revolt throughout the Arab nations in the next few years.
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Tunisia riots: Reform or be overthrown, US tells Arab states amid fresh riots

“Riots by youths protesting against Tunisia’s 50-year dictatorship clashed with police in the country’s capital as the United States warned its Middle Eastern allies to reform or be overthrown.”

It’s about time that this particular piece of dung hit the fan. The interference of the Revolutionary Guards in the affairs of other countries remains a fact, as recently exposed in Afghanistan, known about Iraq, Lebanon, and the Hamas movement. Too many meddling fingers in too many pies.
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Iran arms smuggling details to be disclosed

“A trial due to open in Nigeria at the end of the month is set to disclose embarrassing details of an extensive arms smuggling operation run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to supply guerrillas in West Africa.”

Why am I just not convinced of their motives here, people say a lot of things when they want something as is the case here with ambitions for power sharing. This might sound very negative, but why trust them after all the chaos and destruction they have inflicted by denying the rights of the Afghans over so many years?
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The death toll now stands at 482 and will surely increase during the clean up. Tragic.
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Brazil floods: country’s worst natural disaster in decades as 482 die

“Rescue workers dug for survivors on Thursday and struggled to reach areas cut off by floods and landslides that have killed at least 482 people in one of Brazil’s deadliest natural disasters in decades.”

This must have been quite a shocker for Italy’s aging “gigolo” after his years of unbecoming behaviour and blatant corruption of the institution of government, it’s about time to give the jerk the boot. Pun intended.
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It didn’t work the last time if I remember correctly, he lost a few sponsors but seems to have flourished since, again being able to spew his insane crap on the airways and the tv.

It would be nice to see him gone though, leaving him to sell gold on the street corners of America. He could always go back to being the rodeo clown, a job he’s much more quailfied to do with his limited intelligence. My apologies to rodeo clowns everywhere of course.

Will he be the next one to call himself a “victim?”
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Call for Fox News to drop Glenn Beck

“Ten thousand sign petition for rightwing talkshow host to be removed amid accusations that he has whipped up hatred in the wake of the Arizona shooting”

Kes, during the event (but not on any photo I’ve seen) I was particularly touched and actually surprised by Napolitano–she was sitting besides Giffords’ husband and as the President was speaking about “Gabby opened her eyes..” both Napolitano and the First Lady were holding each of his hands. He was clenching their hands so tightly. Incredibly moving. Napolitano seems so very warm!

I can hardly imagine the level of stress Giffords’ husband must be under right now. It’s tough being a patient, but sometimes people forget how tough it is to be the one who can only wait, worry and pray.

Yikes. This can’t be good news, can it? Maybe this is the proof positron we’ve been looking for on the effects of violent rhetoric:

“Antimatter caught streaming from thunderstorms on Earth”

A space telescope has accidentally spotted thunderstorms on Earth producing beams of antimatter.Such storms have long been known to give rise to fleeting sparks of light called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.

But results from the Fermi telescope show they also give out streams of electrons and their antimatter counterparts, positrons

I thought that I might have a little more time today to chat, but my phone call with my father lasted longer than usual, a sign that he’s on the mend. I will just wish you all good day, and hope to run into you later.

Take care and stay safe.
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A few stories and opinions from around the globe.

I’m glad I’m living over over here and not there, I would be pretty furious with this.
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Pension payouts will be cut under reforms

“Prudent savers face significant cuts in their pensions because government reforms will lead employers to reduce contributions to their retirement funds, experts said yesterday”

Well I’ve heard plane crashes blamed on a lot of things over the years, but to blame it on a dead man, a dead President at that, is really atrocious.
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Pilot error blamed in Polish plane crash report

“The crew in an air crash that killed the Polish president was under intense “psychological pressure” to land the plane so as not to anger him, according to a damning Russian report that has blamed pilot error for the tragedy.”

Yesterday the number of dead was 200, how much longer are these people going to be allowed to live in such a dangerous place. This maybe a tourist town but how many shantytown houses are swept away every year, the loss of lives from landslides is staggering. When will the government try to save lives by finding them a safer place to live. Is it not important just because they are poor, should they have to die because they can’t afford to live somewhere else?
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Brazil landslides leave hundreds of people dead

“Around 1,000 left homeless as torrential rainstorms trigger mudslides in mountaintop towns near Rio de Janeiro”

Does this sound familiar, well bound to happen when the Tories get power. I think that your lot and the rest of the conservatives spotted around the world, must be joined at the hip, and sharing the same girdle.
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I have just spent the afternoon speaking to one of my favourite people on Skype. It turned into a veritable giggle fest, even though I had warned that I might lose my voice again at some point, I didn’t. All that laughing has left me happy but a little tired, so I will wish you all a good day. Take care and stay safe.
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A few stories and opinions from around the globe.

As unsurprising as this story might be, it still managed to send waves of fear down my spine.
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Chinese lawyer discloses his torture

“An interview with China’s most prominent activist lawyer, who has been missing for almost two years, has surfaced in which he discloses that he was routinely tortured and threatened with his life.”

After throwing every available obstacle in the way to any suggestions for peace talks, this is ridiculous in the absurdity of his claim. Is the moon made of blue cheese Mr. Netanyahu or do you believe the rest of the world is deaf and blind?
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Benjamin Netanyahu says Palestinians ‘walking away’ from peace

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday blamed the Palestinians for the stalled peace process, saying their refusal to negotiate showed they were not interested in peace.”

I’m almost at the point where I call my friend and advise her to go back to Zurich until the riots subside.
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Tunisia’s violent protests spread to capital

“Police fired into the air to disperse a crowd ransacking buildings in a Tunis suburb on Tuesday, the first time Tunisia’s capital has been hit by a wave of violent unrest that officials say has killed 23 civilians.”

Gosh, they really have a thing for public “confessions” don’t they. Was the trial not convincing enough or are they so wrapped up in the failure of their own justice system that they are afraid it might be challenged unless they don’t?
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Iran broadcasts ‘confession’ of man it says was part of assassination plot

“Majid Jamali-Fash says he was hired by Israel as part of network ordered to kill Iranian scientist Masoud Ali-Mohammadi”

Scary that Gao, the Chinese lawyer, has disappeared again. They must assume he’s dead if they’ve published this. It’s too bad that China seems to be operating on whatever system works best for the leadership (capitalism for the economy, totalitarianism for the government) but it turns out to be the worst of all systems for the population.

They are what they have always been escribacat, communists who decried capitalism for decades, trying to outdo the rest of the world in accumulating wealth which will not be spent on improving the lives of it’s citizens, but instead go to defense spending or lending money out to other countries.

Remember this story last October, and the sudden destruction of their home. Many people disappear in China all the time, I can’t imagine any radical change to stop it in the future either.

Seems like an odd area in which the government chooses to involve itself, doesn’t it, Khirad? You’d think that the one area in which a person should be able to have control might be his/her appellation, no? It doesn’t get much more personal than that.

Another member of the Night Owl contingent here on the Planet, I see…?

Hi kes, Khirad. In Japan it’s not considered government involvement by most. Everything that is official over here, requires a special family seal/stamp, it becomes very confusing and complicated. You take your husband’s name to be legally registered in the family register, if you don’t there could be all sorts of problems for divorce, property and other things that might require your husband’s signature or seal. Don’t forget that in Asia, it was always the husband who was the head of the household. I really can’t see the fuss, it happens all over the world, and unless it is important for your chosen career, what exactly is the big deal. If the woman in the article feels as if she lost something of herself by taking her husband’s name, maybe she shouldn’t have ever married him at all. I was quite delighted to be known as “Mrs. River Island” even if it did take most of my friends years to finally get the pronunciation right, I’ve worn it as a badge of honour ever since for the man who loves me still, despite my faults, noisy episodes and endless opinionated chatter.

Even to this day, I as a foreigner am not allowed to buy property here, and although my husband has entered my name as equal householder, in the eyes of the officials, it is still my husband’s house.

There is no law against it, it is just very complicated, especially getting a loan. For non residents, they would have to set up a special purpose company through which their real estate properties are held. It is not all that easy in many countries, but in Japan it’s a bunch of extra red tape, and then of course the language barrier, and the chance of misinterpreted fine print on the contract.

The Japanese are sticklers for mountains of paperwork, even for the simplest things like registering your official stamp at the local ward office. If there is one mistake on an application, you can’t just rub it out, you have to start all over again. I think that most people just become frustrated, and give up.

I can attest to that, you do keep rather odd hours sometimes, but then again so do I, and to prove my point I’ll now wish you a good night. See, quite odd. 😉

I have a friend who is the same. When I think he must be sleeping, up he pops like a jack-in-a-box to tell me which film he has just finished watching. He once told me that he wishes for 36 hours in a day, 24 hours are not enough when his sleep is restless.